Growing Up An Abernathy
by allonsysilvertongue
Summary: Glimpses of Haymitch Abernathy, Effie Trinket and their three children from the verse of Consortium and Divortium. (I have decided to create Growing Up An Abernathy for where I could post one-shots/prompts related to Consortium Divortium, separate from The Ballad of A Drunk And His Lady to avoid confusion.)
1. Make It Fall

_A/N: Hello. Me again. I've received several Consortium related prompts but I couldn't write some of them (yet) because the part of the story has not come to pass. Anyway, because of those few prompts, I have decided to create _Everything In Transit_ for where I could post prompts related to Consortium, separate from The Ballad of A Drunk And His Lady to avoid confusion (and also because it's easier for me to organise things). _

**Requested by anon: I have a consortium related prompt for you, please. My cousins due any day now and her baby's moving around so you can even see little bumps when its kicking and wriggling like those alien baby vids on youtube (theres one where the mother has a glass of water on her stomach and the baby kicks so hard it wobbles and drops). I know we had hayffie reacting to the twins kicking and moving- but i'd love to see their reaction to crazy movements, haymitch epesilly! thank you**

**Make It Fall**

**Timeline: Between Chapter 30 &amp; 33**

It was a warm night, the moon hung low in the sky, weaving in and out of the clouds. Inside the Abernathy's house, Effie lounged on the sofa, with the music from the radio playing softly in the background. It was quiet and peaceful, just the way Effie preferred with her husband by her side instead of locked in the study poring over documents for the appeal.

She hummed softly to the tune for the twins, rubbing her belly in circles with the lotion to prevent stretch marks. Effie looked up briefly when Haymitch walked past her towards the kitchen taking with him the dirty plates from their dinner. It didn't take him long before he return with his sleeves rolled up and slightly damp from doing the dishes.

"Thank you," she said and she meant it because if she knew Haymitch, he would have just left the dishes in the sink but he had helped her out and for that she was grateful.

He shrugged, taking a seat at the end of the sofa as Effie folded her legs to make space for him.

"You're 29 weeks in?" he inquired.

Effie nodded.

"Still a few more weeks to go," he grimaced, taking the sight of her in. Effie's belly had gotten rounder and bigger, stretching to accommodate the lives inside her. He didn't know it was anatomically possible for the skin to stretch that much before this and sometimes, he wondered how she could still walk in her state. Haymitch knew though that Effie could no longer bend forward and that each time she dropped something, he would have to be the one to help pick the item off the floor.

"Honestly, I can't wait to deliver them. I'm exhausted and my body's aching all over."

He patted her knee sympathetically. "How are they doing?"

"Very active or I think at least one of them is. Move over, Haymitch, please. Is it okay if you sit on that armchair? I want to stretch my legs."

Effie nudged him playfully with her foot.

"Not moving," he mumbled, pulling her feet up and putting them across his lap. He was already comfortable where he was. He rubbed her foot gently, knowing how much her swollen feet had been giving her grieve lately. Effie beamed up at him, sinking back into the sofa with a contented sigh.

"You're being an absolute sweetheart today," she mused.

Haymitch frowned and cleared his throat. "Don't get used to it."

"Of course," Effie nodded seriously but Haymitch could tell she was still joking from the look in her eyes. "Wouldn't want your scary, brooding reputation to be ruined now, would we?"

"Hmph."

Outside, the crickets were chirping, calling out one after another and the shrill voice of Mrs. Johnson who lived just outside of Victor's Village could be heard shouting for Danny, her son, to get inside the house and stop playing along the streets when it's dark outside. It was a normal occurrence that Effie no longer paid much attention to it.

Effie was just dozing off when the twins started moving and Haymitch stopped rubbing her foot. She blinked her eyes open to see Haymitch staring at her belly, mouth slightly open and brows crinkling in disbelief.

He shot her a startled look when her soft laughter diverted his attention. Effie pulled her blouse up to expose her belly for him and Haymitch leaned forward curiously.

"What - " he looked up questioningly, the question left hanging on his lips.

"It's a bit disconcerting, isn't it?" she asked lightly. Effie couldn't say that Haymitch's reaction was misplaced because when she herself saw the movements a few days ago, she couldn't quite believe what was going on.

Something, a hand perhaps, poked at Effie's belly, stretching the skin. Almost in a trance, Haymitch put a finger on the bump as it moved slightly to the right, before it sunk and Effie's belly resembled the usual shape that it was.

"That's disturbing," he exclaimed but Effie could hear the excitement tinging his voice. His eyes remained fixated.

"I know. Sometimes I think they're trying to break free. Watch this."

Effie pressed the right side of her stomach gently, at the exact spot where they last saw the movement and the baby responded. Haymitch saw the baby's movement across Effie's belly, a bump here and there.

"That's crazy," he breathed out. Haymitch took a leaf out of Effie's book and mimicked her, pressing again on her belly just so he could watch the movements again. "How does it feel like?"

"Ticklish," she laughed. "Like when you run a finger down my neck? But on the inside. Sometimes it feels like a muscle twitching."

Haymitch chuckled, knowing that Effie was very sensitive and ticklish around her neck. He looked around him, his eyes falling on the saucer at the coffee table.

"Let's try this," he grinned suddenly.

Carefully, Haymitch placed the saucer on her belly, just above her belly button.

"What are you doing?" she laughed at him.

"Just watch," he instructed and tap the left side of Effie's belly.

They waited for a movement.

"I think they're sleeping."

Haymitch shook his head, refusing to believe that and repeated his actions. It prompted another movement.

The saucer wobbled as a result, perched precariously on her stomach.

It made Effie laugh and not one of those polite laughter where she covered her mouth with her hand. It was an honest, genuine laugh from her just watching her husband's antics.

Haymitch was grinning, his grey eyes lighting up with mischief. It made Effie wondered if this was what a teenage Haymitch was like – a smile on his lips and cackling mischievously as he raised hell in the District Twelve - before his name was reaped and his world turned on him, taking away everyone that he loved. Effie shook her head to dispel that gloomy thought. She let him steady the saucer once again, allowing him this small moment of happiness with his unborn children.

"One of them is gonna make this saucer fall off," he said, his voice filled with determination. Effie was not expecting him to lean further forward in order to whisper conspiratorially against her skin, "make it fall off, come on."

"You're teaching them the wrong things even before they're born," she giggled.

"I'm not."

She stroked his hair as he laid his palm on her belly and pressed on it gently. Each time the saucer wobbled, Haymitch held his breath.

"It won't fall off," Effie told him after a while.

"It will," he said. "Want to put your money on – Aha!"

Effie's hand flew to cover Haymitch's own as she felt a strong, powerful kick. The saucer trembled and dipped sideways in a slow motion as it landed on the floor.

"You're lucky the floor's carpeted or that saucer would have broken to tiny pieces," was all that Effie could say. She breathed out slowly, rubbing her stomach soothingly.

"They're boys," he announced so suddenly that Effie temporarily forgot all about the saucer on the floor, "if today's anything to go by."

"It's that what you want? Boys?"

Haymitch shrugged. "Just guessing here."

* * *

_Please, do leave a review. :)_


	2. Interruptions

**Requested by anon: how about a Hayffie smut after the twins turned a month-old? But each time Papa Haymitch tries to make a move, one of the twins suddenly cry? Haha. I think this would be funny. Anyway, you're a fabulous writer and I really love Consortium! :))) Hoping for an update soon. :)**

* * *

**Interruptions**

**Timeline - Between Chapter 41 and 42**

They had brought the twins home two weeks ago and after two weeks of dealing with his children, Haymitch realised how rare tonight was. They had managed to feed and put the twins to sleep earlier than normal and Effie was in a good mood thinking of the extra hours of sleep she could get. She told him as much.

"Did you dim the lights in their room?" she asked, walking past the bathroom towards the bed.

He nodded with a towel pressed to his face as he walked out of the bathroom. Haymitch threw the towel carelessly over the back of an armchair, ignoring the look Effie gave him. She would have chastised him but Effie was clearly distracted as she sat cross-legged on the bed, tinkering with the audio monitor.

"The batteries' just been changed," she muttered to herself.

Drawing the covers back, he climbed into bed next to her. The pale moon light illuminated her features, giving her creamy skin a pearly glow. Her hair had been tied messily into a bun with wisps of loose hair framing her delicate face. She was lovely and Haymitch found himself reacting involuntarily at the sight of her.

"It's working just fine, you know?" he murmured, scooting closer to her and pressing a kiss on her neck, just below the pulse point.

"I'm not so sure about that. There's nothing coming from their room," she fretted.

"That's 'cause they're sleeping," he told her, giving the most obvious answer there was. Haymitch moved so that he was kneeling in front of her, taking her face in his hand and tilted it to the side slightly so he could trail kisses along her jaw.

"Haymitch," she whined, "I'm being serious. What are you doing?"

He exhaled, sighing in frustration. Haymitch rested his forehead on her shoulder. "What does it look like, sweetheart?"

"Is now really the time? The children are next door. We've only had the twins last month and what if they hear - "

"Even if they heard us, they're too young to know anything about the noises you're about to make," he grinned.

"That's no way to speak to a lady," she frowned but her eyes were shining.

He kissed her because he knew the game she was playing. If she kept him talking long enough, he would be too distracted trying to score against her. Effie gave a contented sigh and leaned back against the headboard, bringing her arm up to circle his neck.

"I miss us," she whispered.

He drew back a little to look at her.

"Don't get me wrong," she said. "I love our children but I – we haven't had much time to ourselves."

It wasn't that he didn't want to reply but he didn't know what to say so he kept quiet. It wasn't as if he sex was a regular thing between them so that was not what Effie meant, probably. She was right, now that he thought about it. The only time they were alone was when the twins were asleep by which point, they were both so exhausted all they wanted to do was sleep. Sometimes, they even ate their meals at different time because one of them had to keep an eye on the twins, which he supposed will only get worse once the boys learn how to crawl and walk.

Haymitch reached behind and freed her hair from the band, allowing the golden locks to tumble free. Effie fell back on the bed, smiling and tracing a finger down the bridge of his nose. When he kissed her again, she responded eagerly and slipped her hand under his shirt. When her soft touched grazed against the raised, jagged skin on his stomach – his scar from the arena – Haymitch shuddered.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled instinctively, wanting to pull away but finding herself pinned back against the mattress by him.

"It's alright."

He trailed kisses down the column of her throat and nudged the thin fabric covering her right breast out of the way with his nose, palming her breast as he continued to make his way further south. Effie moaned delightedly and Haymitch was getting dangerously close to his goal when the monitor lighted up. The piercing wailed stilled his movements. A low growl emitted from the back of his throat as he buried his face on her stomach.

"Please, no," he grumbled.

Effie laughed at him and his frustration. She brushed his hair soothingly. "You want to go or should I?"

"I'll go," he said, pushing himself up. At the door, Haymitch looked at her over his shoulder. "Don't go to sleep."

XxX

Effie had prepared and stored her breast milk in a feeding bottle earlier that evening which Haymitch had just fed Ethan with. The boy had fallen asleep, his head propped on his father's elbow. For the past five minutes, Haymitch had considered putting the child back to his crib but he had been too afraid to stand up from the rocking chair lest the movement jolt the boy awake. He knew he couldn't sit at the chair for the rest of the night so slowly and carefully, Haymitch began to move.

And what was that that Greasy Sae had told him? _If you pamper and carry the child all the time, he would never want to be put down._

Haymitch brushed Ethan's hair back, righted the pillow under the boy's head and stood there watching the rise and fall of his son's chest. He didn't know how long he stood by the crib, gazing down at his son and losing himself to this peaceful, contented feeling. When he felt Effie's arm wound around his stomach and felt her cheek pressing against his back, he realised that he had kept her waiting.

"I was wondering what was taking you so long."

"Lost track of time," he turned around to face her.

She smiled up at him, looking into his grey eyes. "It's alright. I understand the need to want to be with them all the time."

He wanted to tell that it was not what that was but Effie silenced him with a soft peck of his lips. His hand moved to her waist, gripping on to them and pulled her close to him. As he kissed her, his hand made a quick work of the drawstrings of her robe, completely forgetting their place. Haymitch pushed her back, intending to press her against the wall but the layout of the nursery was still relatively new to them and with the dim lighting, he didn't realise that there was an armchair in their path, right behind Effie.

"Haymitch!" she squeaked, stumbling back and pulling him with her.

"Shhh," he covered her mouth hastily.

There was a rustle to their right, a quiet movement followed shortly by a pre-emptive cry that if left unattended for a little too long will turn into a hysterical cry. Haymitch threw his hand up in frustration.

"You do this one," he grumbled. "You're the one who woke him up."

"Me?!" she hissed, moving towards the crib nonetheless. "You're the one with your hands all over me – while we're in their nursery!"

"I didn't hear you protesting, sweetheart. I'm never going to get anywhere with you tonight," he complained. "Maybe we can leave them with Katniss and Peeta tomorrow night?"

He sounded almost hopeful that Effie had to stifle a laugh. Instead, she shot him a look as she picked Tristan up from the crib. She rocked the baby in her arms.

"Fine, that's a no, then," he shrugged. "I'm going to sleep."

The affronted look on her face made him smile. With a wink, he left the nursery.

* * *

_To the guest reviewer – __I understand your concern that these prompts might not be a good idea while Consortium is still a work in progress because like you, I don't want people to get confused too which is why I'm only limiting the prompts to events within the timeline, things that has already happened in Consortium. If you like, you can see the prompts as trying to fill the time gaps in between chapters (for example, in Consortium when the twins were brought home, they were two weeks old and then I skipped to when they were two months). I could, of course, do as you suggested, putting the prompts as a form of flashbacks but that would mean Consortium will go on and on, and I don't want to crowd the plot._

_Also, RonaldGarcia91 was asking if I accept prompts for the other characters as well, I am, because I think that would be challenging and interesting but please, keep it to within the timeline! Thank you so much._

_Sorry for the long message. Please leave a review :)_


	3. Something Of The Past

**Requested by elly32: Hi! ****I have a prompt for you :) I'd love to read something about Effie's before wedding jitters and maybe Peeta/Katniss/Annie/Johanna calming her down with something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Hope you'll like it :)**

**Something of The Past**

**Timeline: One hour before events in Chapter 1**

The wedding ceremony will commence in an hour's time. The feeling of icy dread washed over Effie as the hour drew closer. Sitting at the edge of the bed, Effie clasped her hands together to stop the shakes. For the umpteenth time, her eyes were drawn to the open window but unlike all the other times, Effie actually got up and walked towards it, peering down at the grass below and then at the front gate. Her mind began to calculate the drop and the time it will take for her to make a run from the drop point to the gate in her wedding gown.

"I wouldn't recommend that route if I were you," Johanna said, startling Effie so much she hit her knee on the vanity. Johanna chuckled as she leaned languidly against the door frame. "You might break an ankle or an arm on your way down. I would suggest the back door. If you want to run, I'll cover for you."

"I considered the back door option," Effie mumbled. "But people might see me. I think I will risk jumping."

"Prison's toughened you up."

Effie glanced over her shoulder to look at Johanna. As if the wedding jitters were not bad enough, she had to bring up the subject of their imprisonment now of all time.

"I won't break anything," she muttered to herself. "It's not that high."

"Get away from the window or do I have to get Annie?"

"Get Annie for what?" asked Katniss, walking into the room with Annie in tow.

Effie rested her forehead on the window pane. There goes her chance to run. She doubt Annie would be too keen on helping her plot her escape.

"Effie here was thinking of running away."

"Is it true?" asked Annie

"Yes, well… no, no, I was only…. I – I can't do this," she cried, dropping into bed with her hands covering her face. "I can't marry him! I can't get married."

Katniss gave her a sympathetic look. "There's nothing you can do, Effie. The law's been passed. He is better than all the other alternatives. At least with Haymitch, you already know the person that he is. Or… would you rather marry a stranger?"

"She's right," Johanna shrugged. "If it makes you feel any better, Abernathy will be drunk half of the time that you wouldn't even know he's there. It'll feel like you're not married to him at all. That'll work, won't it?"

Effie blanched.

"I don't think that's what she wants to hear right now, Johanna," Annie shook her head. She took Effie's hand, taking a seat next to the anxious bride. "It will be alright. Haymitch is a good man, Effie. And you're a good person, too. You will be wonderful for each other."

Johanna snorted. Katniss seemed sceptical. Effie did not look convince at all.

Annie blinked at each of them in turn and sighed. From her pocket, Annie drew out a velvet box, old and worn out which she handed to Effie. She opened it to find a charm necklace.

"For your wedding, you should have something borrowed," Annie smiled. "It was my great grandmother's. I would have worn it for my wedding but we were in Thirteen and Finnick couldn't… Anyway, I would like you to wear it for yours."

Annie's gift had the intended effect of giving Katniss and Johanna something to do once they realised that none of them, including Effie, had thought of the four traditional wedding gifts. They exchanged a look.

"You find something blue," Johanna ordered. "I'll see where I can get something new for her."

"Bossy," Katniss muttered but left the room.

"You will be alright, Effie," Annie patted her knee as they waited for the two ladies to return.

XxX

Katniss was the first to return

She held up a blue ribbon. "I couldn't find anything blue that would be suitable but I thought maybe you could… tie your hair with this. It will contrast nicely against your blonde hair, I think?"

"It's lovely, Katniss," Effie smiled. "Thank you."

Annie took the ribbon, directed Effie to the vanity and stood behind her as she carefully worked the ribbon around Effie's hair.

"You look beautiful," Annie smiled, resting a comforting hand on Effie's shoulder.

Effie stared at her reflection and tried to see herself the way Annie did. The powder had done a good job of covering her freckles and her hair… Her wigs had long been discarded but in times of extreme pressure, Effie yearned for it. It made her feel secure to be able to hide a part of herself. In a self-conscious gesture, Effie pulled the edged of her dress to make certain that the scar of her left collar bone is perfectly hidden. It wouldn't do for the guests to see her imperfections.

The door opened and Johanna stepped in, swinging a shopping bag in her hand.

"Got you something new. Not me per se, but Haymitch did. I made him buy something for you from the shop across this building."

Effie caught Johanna's eyes from the reflection in the mirror, wondering when Johanna and Haymitch found the time to go shopping with the clock ticking.

"We couldn't think of something new unless it's newly purchased. So here, a new pair of heels for you to wear at the wedding."

Effie discarded the pair of heels that she had chosen for the wedding and slipped into the ones Haymitch bought for her. It fit her perfectly.

"Thank you," Effie whispered. She was calm, she realised. The nervous jitters were slowly fading as her attention was distracted by the gifts.

"Anybody thought of something old?" Katniss asked suddenly.

If the look on their faces was anything to go by, nobody had thought of it.

"What do we do?" Effie nibbled on her lower lip worriedly.

Annie, as always, tried to be reassuring. "We'll think of something."

"With ten minutes before the wedding?" Johanna arched an eyebrow.

"Worst case scenario," Katniss begin. "Effie could just get married without, you know, something old."

"I can't do that!" Effie exclaimed. "It has to be complete or -"

There was a knock on the door. When Katniss opened the door to answer, Effie heard Haymitch's voice at the other side. She squeaked.

"I can't see you," he said loud enough for Effie's benefit. "Look, Johanna came to me asking for something new. She told me you're getting something blue and that Annie has allowed Effie to borrow a bracelet?"

"A necklace."

"Right," Haymitch nodded. "I don't know if she already has something old but…"

"No," Johanna hurried towards the door. "No, we don't. You have something?"

"It's not very old but it's something from our past."

"That'll do," Katniss was quick to reassure him. "What is it?"

Haymitch must have handed the item to Katniss because Effie heard her gasp, saying, "I know what this is," at the same time that Johanna pointed out that the item belonged to Finnick.

"It was mine before it was his," Haymitch answered.

"Okay and go easy on that drink!" Johanna shouted after him. "Don't turn up drunk for your own wedding."

Somehow, Effie had the impression that that was exactly how Haymitch would be at their wedding later. It was his way to cope.

"Look, Effie," Katniss said. She sounded surprised. "Who would have thought that it survived?"

She placed the gold flame bangle in the palm of Effie's hand; the same bangle that Effie had given Haymitch as an act of solidarity a few years ago during the Third Quarter Quell. Effie never knew what had happened to it after Haymitch had given it to Finnick and she never expected it to make through the Rebellion much less be back in Haymitch's possession.

"Something old," she whispered and for the first time since she woke up that morning with wedding anxiety, Effie gave a small smile. She clasped the bangle around her wrist. "Let's go then."


	4. Nightmare

**Requested by ****AzaleaBrickshire****: I'm so glad that your taking prompts for Consortium! I have been reading the whole story again since you haven't updated it this week. Then, I read again that Effie has nightmares when she's stressed out. Could you make a one-shot about that? It could be about her time in prison (since you also mentioned Effie's episodes before) and Haymitch feel useless because he can't do anything to help his screaming wife and he also feel awkward (?) about it because it's the first time that she had a nightmare in his house.**

_Thanks for your prompt :)_

* * *

**Nightmare**

**Timeline: Between chapter 2 and 3**

There was a thud as the bottle fell from his slackened grip to the floor. Haymitch merely cracked a lazy eye open before it fluttered close again as he finally fell asleep sprawled on his stomach on the sofa.

It couldn't have been long before his sleep was interrupted. It began as a soft whimper filtering through the haze in his mind. He could be dreaming but Haymitch wasn't sure, so he scrunched his face, turned on his side as his hand blindly groped around the floor for the cushion he had discarded earlier. When he found it, Haymitch pressed it against his ears. He was a light sleeper and as the whimper grew louder, he slowly began to realise that this wasn't the same cry of his mother, Myra or of the tributes he failed to safe that had haunted his dream for years.

Haymitch sat up then, eyes opened wide in the dark with his ears perked, waiting for the sound again.

This time, it was a strangled cry, coming from the bedroom upstairs. He bolted out of his seat and took the stairs two at a time. The bedroom door where he had left Effie in just hours ago was still shut which meant that she was safe inside. Nobody had broken in to harm her. Curiously, Haymitch pressed his ear against the door to hear her gasping and begging at whoever it was that was frightening her.

_A nightmare._

On its own accord, his hand curled around the knob but before he could turn it, Haymitch paused, an uncertain thought having crossed his mind. Over the years, he had dealt with his own nightmares by drinking himself to oblivion and when he had been ordered to be Katniss' guardian, he had dealt with Katniss' nightmares by simply sitting quietly with the girl after she had woken up on her own because to touch her and wake her up would have ensured a bruising or two on him. He had learnt that the hard way after taking a beating on a few occasions from Katniss as he tried to help.

This was new to him. He never had to deal with Effie's nightmares before. It also never occurred to him how she was doing while she was at the Capitol - he had wanted to call her sometimes and check on her, only to change his mind at the last second – or that she, like him, was plagued with nightmares. She suffered just as much as they did. He never knew exactly what happened to her but he was sure that there were demons that would haunt for as long as she lived.

By now, the whimpering and pitiful begging had turned to a terrified screaming and that was all it took for him to turn the knob and pushed the door open. He walked in on her thrashing on the bed, the sheets tangled around her legs and her hair was matted to her face. Effie was distressed and trapped.

This was their first night together in his house in Victor's Village and if he had been thinking straight, he would have realised that something as life changing as marriage and moving in to an unfamiliar environment could cause an emotional arousal so strong that it would evoke a nightmare. Haymitch was hesitant and unsure on how best to deal with the situation. He didn't know how she would react if he were to wake her up now. Does she sleep with some kind of weapon like him? Would she attack him like Katniss did?

"I don't know anything!" she screamed, sobbing and gasping for breath.

He took another step closer but stopped at the foot of the bed, looking at her with a growing sense of urgency and concern. "Effie," he called out and when nothing happened, he raised his voice hoping that it would be enough to wake her. "Effie!"

With a frown, Haymitch walked over to her side of the bed and gave her shoulder a small push.

"Wake up," he commanded.

The effect was immediate. Her eyes flew open, pupils dilated so much so that Haymitch could only see a sliver of her blue irises. Her skin glistened with sweat. Effie pressed herself against the headboard away from her and drew her knees up to her chest. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused as she stared up at him uncomprehendingly.

"Who are you?" she asked wearily. "Don't bring me – not there. Please."

"Sweetheart? It's me. It's …" he trailed off.

She hadn't really woken up, he realised. Not yet.

"The mockingjay…" she exhaled slowly.

Haymitch waited to know what she was going to say but she only stared back at him. He lifted the sheets and handed it to her silently. Effie wrapped it around herself, her movements were done unconsciously without a second thought.

"It's Haymitch," he told her uselessly. "It's me."

"Don't hurt me."

"I won't hurt you. I'm never going to hurt you," he found himself trying to reassure her. "You should try to go back to sleep."

She blinked up at him as if to reassure herself that he really was not going to harm her. Satisfied, she turned away from him, pulling the covers up to her chin and curled into a fetal position. Haymitch wasn't sure Effie was fully awake or aware of her surroundings.

He stood awkwardly at the side of the bed. He kept a watchful eye on her until breathing had evened out and Haymitch went back to the sofa downstairs. Even though he felt useless at his unhelpful involvement, he still thought that Effie's nightmare that night was not as bad when compared to Katniss' or himself. They could barely fall back to sleep after their nightmares but Effie was different.

He should know never to make assumptions because he soon learnt along the way that tonight was one of the milder episodes and that it could get a lot worse.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Do leave a review._


	5. Yoga

_Nobody requested this but it was an idea that I had quite a while back but couldn't fit it into Consortium itself._

**Yoga**

Timeline: Chapter 15.

Haymitch was wasting the hours before he was due to leave for the Capitol, which will be in 5 hours exactly, he noted as he glanced towards the clock. Picking up Effie's book – What to Expect When You're Expecting – from the coffee table, he began flipping to a random page. His eyes scanned the words - tips on decreasing back pain and nausea – without actually reading it.

When he heard Effie's footsteps, Haymitch shoved the book under the cushion, not wanting her to catch him in the act of reading it. He pushed himself off the sofa to see Effie coming down the stairs with a rolled up green mat and a matching bag.

"Going somewhere?" he asked curiously.

"Yes," she beamed. "Just to town, the community centre."

"And what's there?"

"Have you forgotten? I have yoga. It starts today."

"I'm sorry?" he frowned. _Yoga?_ It sounded ridiculous. He wasn't sure what that was. Some kind of exotic fruit, maybe? But no, it can't be. Effie mentioned that it started today.

"Haymitch," she sighed. "I told you yesterday night I signed up for yoga classes."

"What's…" _A class._ "What kind of class is this?"

A painful look of exasperation crossed her face. Without uttering a word, Effie moved past him towards the mantelpiece to retrieve a brochure which she pressed into this hand.

The picture on the front page depicted a very pregnant woman sitting cross-legged on a mat with her eyes closed. His eyes flickered to the green mat she was holding on to. Haymitch wrinkled his nose at the position the woman was in. It looked like someone had tied a plank to her back judging from how stiff straight she was sitting.

**Great Exercise for Expecting Mothers! Come join us now!**

That only made him even more confused. There was no explanation about yoga at all.

"Exercise?" he looked up at her. "I don't think you should be – "

"There's nothing wrong with it. Look," she flipped the brochure to the second page. "It's a great way to relax _and_ stay fit."

He stared at her and then slowly exhaled a breath. He was beginning to get a clearer picture now.

"Was this because of what I said yesterday?" he queried, wanting her to confirm his suspicion. "I already told you that in your state, it's normal to gain weight. You don't have to –"

"It's not because of that. Don't be silly now," she gave him a slight shake of her head. That had been half of the motivation for the reason she took up the class but she didn't think he needed to know that. Instead, she gave him the other half of the reason. "Prenatal yoga is a good form of pregnancy exercise. Ask me why."

He threw his hands up and rolled his eyes. He would bet two bottles of vodka that Effie had a speech or an argument prepared in her head for precisely this reason – in case he made a big deal out of it, which he didn't think he was doing, in his most humble opinion.

"Why?"

"Because," she spoke slowly with the confidence of someone who knew that she was going to emerge victorious, "it helps to prepare for childbirth! And it also promotes the twin's health."

At the mere mention of "twins", Haymitch squirmed. He needed to get used to her using the term and to the reality that Effie would be giving birth to two.

"Fine then, but exercising always involve stretching which in your condition isn't really – "

"Gentle stretching," she nodded. "It's safe. And… are you implying that I'm not - "

"No," he denied it quickly. "I'm not so sure about this, sweetheart."

As if it would make any difference, Haymitch took the bag off her shoulder and placed it on the floor. "You walking to the factory every morning – isn't that exercise enough?"

"Haymitch, please. I've talked to Dr. Bell about this. She is aware and she didn't advise me against it. And," she raised a finger up to emphasise her point, "the class was set up by the government in every district. To promote health. A healthy mother means a healthy baby. Really, there's so much benefit to this. Please don't argue with me."

Haymitch gritted his teeth. _The government._ They thought of everything it would seem.

"I'll be home before you have to leave for the Capitol this afternoon," she rested a placating hand on his cheek but retracted it just as quickly, a blush spreading across her face.

There was a ridiculous smile on her face the moment Haymitch handed the bag to her.

"Thank you!"

"Don't strain yourself."

"I won't," she said cheerfully, moving towards the front door. Just as she was about to step out, she glanced over her shoulder. "Now is probably a good time to tell you that I've signed us up for the Prenatal and Postnatal Education Course. Also at the community centre."

His eyes widened slightly, the wheels in his mind turning as he tried to process exactly it meant. Haymitch dropped his voice, low enough to make Effie pulled her bag protectively in front of her. "You did what?"

"It's only 5 sessions over the weekends! Just two days," she added hastily. "It'll be good."

"It'll be good? Are you insane?"

"No, I'm not. It's to prepare us," she retorted with a glare. "I'd appreciate it if you don't accuse me of such things in front of the babies," she rested her hand on her tummy defensively. The frown turned into a cheerful smile just as quickly. "It's the week after next by the way. Please don't make any plans. Now, Haymitch, I am late as it is so I shall see you later."

With a wave of her hand, Effie left, letting the door shut quietly behind her and leaving Haymitch standing in the living room in stunned silence. As if her being pregnant wasn't hellish enough for him, he now had to endure two entire days listening to someone teaching them everything there was to know about… babies. No matter how many days of courses, he doubt he would ever be fully prepared.


	6. Marrying the Coal Miner's Son

**Requested by anon: Hi. I heard you write prompts based on Consortium so is there a chance you'll write one about matrimony of Johanna and Gale pretty please? Love those two too much. It'd be really really cool. (sorry for mistakes)**

_It's mainly in Johanna's point of view. But there's a hint of hayffie in the beginning and a mention of another character towards the end! I hope you like it._

* * *

**Marrying the Coal Miner's Son**

Johanna wasn't sure why she chose Effie but perhaps, a part of her wanted a validation that the marriage she was about to enter into was not going to work – because she didn't want this to work - and who better than Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy?

Everyone knew they were constantly in disagreement. In fact, the only thing they could probably agree on was to disagree.

Annie would take the softer approach, she would talk to her and try to change her outlook on marriage but there was nothing to change. The truth remained that she did not want to be married and yet, she could not bring herself to leave Panem.

If Effie was surprised by her phone call, she did not let on.

"Why'd you marry him? You hate him," Johanna pointed out. "You told me you had suitors."

"I don't hate him, Johanna," Effie sighed. "And as to why… I'm going to tell you what Plutarch told myself and Haymitch. It is better to marry someone you know than a complete stranger. Especially for people like you and I - it's safer. You were friends with Gale in Thirteen, were you not?"

"Sure… We talked," Johanna mumbled, "but it's nothing that makes me want to be married to him. How's it working out with you and Abernathy?"

"He's…" Effie trailed off.

Johanna scoffed. "He isn't around much, is he? Is he passed out drunk?"

There was another long sigh from Effie. It was quite unbecoming but who was she to say anything? Before the war, they could hardly be called friends.

"I don't… I cannot say for certain that I know where he is at the moment since I cannot quite locate him in this house. He's… He's only around when I'm not home."

"See, Trinket, that's the kind of life I'm gonna have if I get married – going out of our ways to avoid each other, 'cause that's what he's doing to you."

"I'm not avoiding him," Effie said firmly. "I'm trying to – "

"_Trying_," she sneered. "That's what his mother wants – she wants us to _try._ She thinks we have a chance together."

"I do agree - you can learn to love the person you marry. Surely that's not impossible?"

"Who are you trying to convince, Trinket? Me or yourself?"

"Katniss wouldn't have been friends with the boy if he wasn't a good person, Johanna. Perhaps all is not lost… Perhaps you can carve a life for yourself with –"

* * *

On the phone, Johanna snorted. "Let's not go down that road. I'll marry him if only to avoid prison," she spat the word like it would poison her tongue.

"When will it be? I could make arrangements… Haymitch and I could be there with you. Perhaps even Katniss and Peeta…"

"Don't think he'll want those two there. And no offence, Trinket, but I don't want any of you there either. There's nothing to celebrate – there's no need for your parties," she said and the moment she heard Effie's protest on the phone, she interrupted her. "I'll be fine. There won't be anything fancy - I'll call you when it's done."

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yeah, yeah, there's gonna be some kind of toasting? I'm not sure what that is but his mother insisted on it and then we'll sign the marriage certificate."

Johanna never asked for the explanation or for Effie to tell her what to expect but the woman told her all that she knew about the toasting ceremony. Johanna let her talk partly because they both needed it; she needed a distraction and Effie sounded – well, not happy – but contented as she recounted her own toasting ceremony.

XxX

They sat around the fireplace, a mix of emotions. Johanna stared ahead, watching the burning log cackling and popping as the orange flames slowly ate away at it. It was reflective of her mood. It felt appropriate somewhat – it did felt as if the law was burning her life away and turning it into ashes.

This was not how she imagined life to be after the war. She was promised freedom, not this. She wanted to rage and scream, just as she had done during the night of the interview before the Third Quarter Quell but she stayed put. Johanna remained in her place surrounded by people who would soon become her family. It was a weird concept – family. She couldn't even remember her own.

Could Trinket be right? Could she learn to love these people?

Her eyes glazed over to Posy leaning heavily against her; to the two boys on the floor; to Hazelle walking out of the kitchen with bread, glasses of wine and juices for the children; and finally to Gale, kneeling in front of the hearth.

"Are you excited?" Posy whispered with a wide grin on her face.

"No, not really," Johanna blinked.

"Oh," the girl said, sounding disappointed but she perked up again. "I'm happy you'll be my big sister. We can do lots of things together."

Johanna tried to smile but it stretched painfully across her cheek and she abandoned the effort. When Hazelle beckoned her over, Johanna dragged herself down to stand next to Gale, bread in hand. She swallowed and forced the bile down her throat.

Just as she had done while she was incarcerated, Johanna clenched her jaw and let Trinket's voice wash over her, going through the steps in her mind. It stopped her from overthinking and Johanna stretched her hand to toast the bread only to pull it away again.

"I'm not – I don't have a speech prepared. Or a vow. Didn't think it was necessary."

"Yeah, me neither," Gale mumbled.

"Well… That's okay," Hazelle smiled at them in turn but the disappointment was evident in her eyes.

This was the marriage of Hazelle's first born son and Johanna was sure she was expecting something different other than this cold and mechanical wedding ceremony, but she couldn't bring herself to sympathise with Hazelle, not when her life was taking a drastic turn.

"Let us toast to your marriage, your life, your health and your future together," Hazelle said.

Johanna couldn't see a future together but that thought remained within the privacy of her mind as they raised their glasses and ate the toasted bread.

"Isn't there a kiss after a toasting?" Rory snickered.

That earned him a glare from Gale but Hazelle nodded, watching them expectantly.

"Your brother's right. Kiss your wife, Gale. It's only proper."

_Wife._

Johanna flinched at the title. Gale gave her a glance out of the corner of his eyes, a shadow of uncertainty crossed over his usually stern features. Johanna stood up straighter, squared her shoulders – she wondered if Trinket would be proud of her posture since she was always telling her victors not to slouch - and lifted her chin up slightly, a silent challenge to the man in front of her.

_Let's see how he reacts to this. _

Gale's pale grey eyes darkened and the corner of his lip curled upwards, a sign to indicate that he knew what she was doing. He took a step forward, paused briefly and leaned in to brush his lips faintly against her. Somewhere in her consciousness, she registered Posy's giggles which were soon followed by enthusiastic clapping, cheering and a chorus of "Welcome to the family, Johanna!"

She blinked, trying to assess the situation. Her lips tingled and she frowned, but Annie's voice filtered through her thoughts – "I don't think you should be frowning in this situation" – and she tried to arrange her face accordingly.

They might not have wanted this marriage but they were married by District Twelve's custom and Hazelle had been supportive of them despite the circumstances. The least she could do was not to pull a long face. She was sure Trinket would have said the same.

It was a conscious effort because there was still that simmering rage deep inside her that wanted to lash out against the law but she found some relief in mindless conversation with Posy. Talking to Gale's little sister was easy. It did not require much thought or much effort. The girl was entranced with her and she had a habit of imitating whatever Johanna did. It was… peculiar.

"Will you be going to the City to sign on the marriage certificate tomorrow?" Hazelle asked.

"Yeah," Johanna nodded curtly. "That's the plan."

"There is no need for the both of you to return here to District Two after that's done. Why don't you take Johanna back to her home in Seven, Gale? Spend a week there - just the two of you. Use that time to get to know each other," Hazelle smiled warmly at them but the thought of being alone with Gale made her blanch.

At least here, his siblings would be around as a distraction. She could spend time with Posy. Teach Rory and Vick how to cut down trees.

Gale must have been thinking the same because the protest was already on his lips as it was on hers.

Johanna thought back to her conversation with Trinket. If the thought of being alone was unbearable, then it was unavoidable that they were going to spend most of their time avoiding each other. It would make for a lonely life but that was nothing different from how her life had been since; alone and angry.

She did not know it yet but during one of her stint trying to avoid Gale, she ended up in District Four where she befriended Felix Lewis, odd and full of life, who turned out to be one of the few people she could trust to open herself up and who she would soon drag around Panem to while her time away.

* * *

_Please review and leave me your thoughts. Thanks for reading :)_


	7. Cupcake Tradition

**Requested by anon: Hi! I don't know if you're still writing prompts based on Consortium but I was wondering if you could write one where it's haymitch's birthday (effie is pregnant with the twins) and she decides to do a little celebration just for the four of them. Thanks anyway :)**

Timeline: Sometime after their first anniversary.

* * *

**Cupcake Tradition**

Haymitch heard her well before he saw her. Effie's footsteps were heavy against the parquet floor and her movements were slower now that she was pregnant. He counted the seconds it took her to walk across the hallway to the study.

His head was bent forward, reading the Government's annual budget which Plutarch had just sent over that morning in the hopes of using it against the law. It was hopeless now if Effie had come to join him. Try as she might to be discreet and stay out of his way, she was always a distraction.

She poked her head into the room and smiled at the sight of him.

"Haymitch," she said, slightly out of breath.

She wanted his attention then, he thought. Otherwise, she would just slip in, take her usual seat on the sofa and start reading quietly to the children.

"You shouldn't move around too much," he rebuked without actually looking up.

"Oh, don't worry. I was just next door with Peeta. I spent most of the time sitting down, watching him bake. I've got you something."

Effie moved his glass of whiskey aside, wrinkling her nose at the smell of it, and placed the box she had brought over carefully on the table. Haymitch kept the papers away and looked up, curious as to the contents of it.

"Ready?" she asked eagerly.

Without waiting for his answer, Effie pried the top cover open and slid the box towards him. There were two chocolate cupcakes inside with the words "Happy" on one and "Birthday" on the other. It was messier than her normal script but Haymitch would recognise his wife's handwriting anywhere.

He wrinkled his brows as his eyes slid towards the calendar hanging on the wall.

"You've forgotten, didn't you?" she shook her head. "It's your birthday today."

There was nothing different about today, not to him. When he woke up this morning, it did not occur to him what today was but he was living with Effie Trinket which meant that he really should not be surprised to discover that she, of all people, would know when his birthday was.

"So it'll seem. Are those edible?" he smirked.

"Peeta made them, so, yes, they're edible. I just helped with the icing and those wordings. It's my first time."

She sounded proud of herself and Haymitch refrained from commenting. His attention was drawn to what was taped inside the cover of the box. It looked like a sonogram, the same ones that were currently hanging in the empty nursery.

"What's that?" he tapped the photo, giving her a quizzical look.

"Oh! Yes – that's the new scan of the twins. I haven't seen it yet but Dr. Bell informed me that their gender is evident in that scan. I thought… For your birthday, if you'd like to find out…"

_Do I want to?_

He was curious, of course, and knowing the gender would make it easier for him to choose a name but he had already made up his mind to swing it when the baby's born.

"No," Haymitch shook his head. "You wanted it to be a surprise, so let it be."

That earned him a smile from her. Effie pulled a chair and sat across the table from him.

"We've never celebrated our birthdays before," she said wistfully.

He gave a shrug of his shoulder.

"Don't know 'bout yours, sweetheart, but mine was always during the Games," he pointed out.

There was no sense in bringing up his birthday or even think about celebrating it when children were dying on screen. Over the years, he had learnt to forget about it. The day he was born became just another day in his life.

"Of course, I understand why you chose not to bring it up before this but -" she leaned forward in her seat, "- things are different now. The Games is in the past. We're… We're different people, we're going to have children and I just want us to… I want the birth of our children to be something we remember for life, something memorable for us _and_ for them. You might think me silly, but I want us to celebrate birthdays again. It doesn't have to be grand, just something small," she added quickly, her hand rubbed her stomach soothingly.

Haymitch shrugged again. If she wanted it for the children then so be it. Their birthdays would be something worth celebrating, he supposed, but he didn't think his was. The novelty of turning another year older had worn off for him a long time ago.

His lack of protest must have been enough for her because she laughed quietly, saying, "I didn't think you were the kind to blow out candles and make wishes, hence, the icing."

"Better start countin' my luck before it runs out today," he teased.

"I just wanted to do something nice for you, not surprise you. You're not taken aback are you?" she asked, worrying her bottom lip. The botched anniversary dinner was still fresh on their mind.

Admittedly, Effie could have done a lot worse than this. She could have planned a surprise party and invited their mutual friends. She could have insisted that they have dinner with Katniss and Peeta to celebrate his birthday or worse, a dinner at Sae's restaurant. There could be a cake and he would be thrown into the spotlight but this… This was nice. It was quiet and private. It was just the two of them…_ four_, he corrected himself, as his eyes fell on the swell of her stomach.

"I'm not," he answered her truthfully. There was an odd feeling in his chest to know that Effie remembered what today was when he had not. He squashed the feeling away. "Thanks," he mumbled.

"There's nothing to thank me for!" Effie chuckled and beamed. "Next year, around this time, our children will be able to celebrate it with you. It'll be merrier. Are you excited?"

He was not excited, not really. He was terrified.

Effie was always the one looking forward to the birth of their children but not so much for him. Still, he couldn't shake the mental image Effie had put in his mind. He tried to picture his life a year from now with two toddlers and their mother fussing over his birthday. It made him leaned back in his chair with a contemplative look on his face. A year ago, this was not a thought he would have entertained in the first place.

"I'm …" he trailed off.

Haymitch plucked one of the cupcakes from the box and looked down at it briefly. It was not what he would have used to describe what he was feeling but it was the next best thing he could do without having to share his thoughts in so many words. He raised his head and handed the cupcake to her.

"Happy," she whispered, staring at the words she had written on the cake.

Happiness, he felt, was a very huge emotion. He had not known true happiness for decades and he doubt that sitting in the study with Effie on his birthday as they finished their cupcakes constitute happiness but he felt at ease, and at that moment, it was enough. His work with the law remained forgotten for the day.

"Happy birthday, Haymitch," she squeezed his hand.

That day became the day that Effie decided to always have cupcakes for birthdays. Peeta's cupcakes made another appearance when the twins turned six months old.


	8. Food Poisoning

If you follow me on tumblr, you'll know I'm doing some maternity meme, so this is part of it. The rest which does not feature Ethan and Tristan are posted on The Ballad.

**Childrearing: "So what's more exciting? The poopie Picassos at 3am or the green bean Van Goghs at dinner?**

_This is like the first time I heard the phrase poopie Picassos so I googled and it means a child who fingerpaints his/her own shit. I've never come across a child like that (thank god!). But I can't find the meaning of the green bean Van Goghs so I'm gonna go on a limb and assume it's got to do with vomit._

* * *

"I never taught you to do this, Tristan," Effie raised her voice slightly but when the child pouted, she softened her voice considerably. "I know you're not well but you could have called me or your father. You don't... You don't sit and play with your... It's too late now. The damage is done but we definitely have to talk about this later."

"'kay. M'sorry, mama," he mumbled.

"Haymitch, get some cloth and clean this up."

"What? No - _I'll_ give him a bath," he said and before she could protest, he scooped Tristan up and brought him to the bathroom, leaving Effie to deal with the shit, quite literally, in the boys' room.

"I forbid him from ever joining Peeta for any kind of painting ever again," Effie ranted loud enough for him to hear.

Haymitch chuckled. "Why don't you talk a little louder, sweetheart, and wake Ethan up from his sleep. As if you didn't just spent two hours trying to put the sick kid to sleep."

"If you hadn't fed them that soup you bought from Town, we wouldn't be having this problem. I told you, I _told_ you that they should only eat food that I cook. It's healthier."

"But you can't cook," he mumbled under his breath.

"I heard that! Now they've got food poisoning and … and … It's all over the wall, Haymitch," she wailed, "and his bedsheet. These are new bedsheet."

Haymitch wisely kept his mouth shut this time as he unbuttoned Tristan's pajamas. He cleaned his son up and gave the boy a snif. "You smell better. Let's see if you pass your mother's inspection."

He carried the boy and lifted him up right in front of Effie's face. "Smell him," Haymitch grinned. "Good, huh?"

"Are you going to help me clean this now?"

"Oh - will you look at that? - he's yawnin', better put him back to bed," Haymitch said, disappearing into his and Effie's room. It didn't take long for Tristan to fall asleep and it occurred to Haymitch just then to transfer Ethan over before the boy suffocate from the smell.

He wandered back to the nursery, noting how the room was now spotless. Effie was intently fixing the room's fragrance diffuser. He leaned against the wall and watched her.

**_"So what's more exciting? Tristan's poopie Picassos at 3am or Ethan's green bean Van Goghs at dinner?"_**

She shot him such a dirty look that he raised both hands to show her that he was only joking.

"You don't get to talk," she hissed, "when you refuse to clean up their messes."

"Fine, I'll do it the next time," he winked and pecked her lips.


	9. A Midnight Kiss

_A/N: This used to be called Everything In Transit but I decided to change its title!_

_F__or those of you who misses Hayffie, Tristan, Ethan &amp; Ari! :)_

* * *

**The Midnight Kiss**

There was a whirlwind of fretting moments before all three children left the house. Ari insisted on bringing her cat with her, Tristan kept calling out for Ethan to hurry while Ethan turned a deaf ear to his brother. He was more concerned with his appearance and had been closeted in the bathroom for the past fifteen minutes.

"But what if she misses me!" Ari whined.

"She's a cat," Haymitch argued. "Leave her at home - you want to sleepover at Prim's or not? Don't make me change my mind, monkey."

"But, dad, I will - "

"No."

"I know your Uncle Peeta likes to feed you but not too many cupcakes, you understand?" Effie nudged Haymitch aside. She brushed the girl's hair back and kisses both her cheeks. "I will miss you so much!"

"I will be just across the street, mum," Ari deadpanned.

"ETHAN!" Tristan thundered, losing his patience.

They all heard his thunderous footsteps as he took the stairs two at a time. "I'm coming. I'm coming! Honestly, have a little patience, brother."

Effie was all over Ethan just as she had with Tristan and Ari earlier, straightening the collar of his shirt, tucking the stray ends of his hair behind his ears before hugging him goodbye.

When Ethan finally escaped her clutches, he darted towards his brother and they were all quick to leave the house. Effie stood by the door, watching Tristan and Ethan walked Ari over to Katniss' house before leaving to meet their friends. Just before they disappeared out of ear shot, she called out to the boys.

"I expect you both home by one in the morning and no later! I will wait!"

Haymitch rolled his eyes.

"Let them enjoy themselves," he commented as he leaned against the doorway. He sank his teeth into an apple and chewed loudly to annoy her. "It's New Year's Eve. You know how kids are nowadays - New Year's countdown and all that nonsense."

"Don't let Tristan hear you say that. He'll just say we're old. Anyway," Effie shut the door behind her, "the countdown will be over by midnight so they have absolutely no reason to be home later than one. I am giving them an hour's leeway when you and I both know it takes less than half an hour to walk home from the Meadow."

Haymitch chuckled lightly. Effie had always been a disciplinarian and with the boys well in their teenage years, she grew anxious. She was always sharing her worries about teenage angst and acting out with him, and he would be the one to tell her that the boys and Ari would never dare do anything with her as their mother.

"Listen, sweetheart, why don't you and I enjoy ourselves tonight? No children around... You know what I'm thinking?" his eyes were on her chest and when he lifted his gaze, he wriggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Effie huffed in exasperation, moving past him towards the living room as she threw a punch straight for his ego.

"Your attempt at seduction and by that extension, in trying to make me sleep with you is terrible. It doesn't leave me all hot and bothered. If I sleep with you tonight, it is out of pity for your attempts more than anything else."

"Have you been taking lessons on how to cut men down to shreds from Johanna?" he asked.

"I can hold my own, thank you very much."

He walked over to the sofa, lifted her feet and dropped them on his lap as he sat down at the other end.

"Fine, no sex," he grumbled. "We'll just stare at each other and wait till the boys get back."

"Not even pity sex?" she teased.

He shut her out by grabbing Tristan's poetry book from the coffee table and turned it on a random page. He read out loud to drown her voice.

"Your son might think writing poetry is the way to a girl's heart which is very sweet of him but reciting poetry to _me_ wouldn't make me get into bed with you."

"Wasn't trying to," he mumbled.

"Haymitch," she plucked the book from his hand, "I want to do something tonight. Why do we have to stay at home? Ari's got plans and the boys have theirs so why do we have to stay at home?"

He rubbed his jaws, waiting for her to say what exactly she wanted from him.

"The last time you took me to the Meadow for New Year Eve's celebration, the boys were ten. They're fifteen now, Haymitch, and we've been spending the eve at home every year. When did we stop becoming fun or having fun ourselves? Let's do something enjoyable together just you and I."

"I've been sayin', sweetheart but you ain't listening," he sighed, "I'll take you to bed - that's always fun."

"And I've been saying you're terrible at seducing me now," she hit his chest lightly. "I want to go to the Meadow. I want to be at the countdown with everyone else in Twelve. It's not just for children and teenagers, you know. Let's stay up until the clock strikes midnight. I want _you_ to kiss me at midnight and I want to see the fireworks."

"Too many people," he waved her off. "We can welcome the New Year quietly at home."

"Fine," she swung her legs over the sofa with a petulant pout. "I'll just go on my own. Maybe I'll join the boys. I'll greet the New Year without you."

"The boys are with their friends. They don't want you there, trust me."

"I'll go over to Katniss' and get Ari to come with me. She's a good girl, she'll accompany me."

Haymitch laughed openly at her and she glared at him.

"Ari and Prim are having their own sleepover. You think they'd appreciate you dropping by unannounced and destroying whatever things they had planned?"

"If nobody wants to go with me, like I said, I am very capable of going to the Meadow and celebrating on my own with the rest of District Twelve."

"You're really nailing this passive-aggressive mother attitude," Haymitch commented which only riled her up even further. "Go get ready. At the risk of you annoying your children, I'll take you the Meadow."

In that instance, her face lighted up. She threw herself at him.

"Oh, Haymitch, you're absolutely wonderful," she gushed, kissing his cheek before disappearing into their bedroom.

"Yeah when it comes to things like that I'm wonderful," he muttered darkly.

XxX

The Meadow was already filled with the town's people. Haymitch navigated their way, stopping every so often as Effie greeted everyone they came across before finally finding a quiet spot.

Effie leaned against Haymitch, nuzzling his neck happily. Haymitch checked his watch. Fifteen minutes to midnight.

"Oh, look! Over there - that's Tristan," Effie pointed out. "Should we go over and say hello?"

It was clear that Tristan was occupied. In his right arm was a bundle of homemade fireworks that Haymitch knew Tristan and Ethan had spent days before diligently making after consulting Gale and Beetee multiple times over the phone.

"Leave them alone, sweetheart."

"You're right," she said, leaning back against him. "We should – Haymitch? Haymitch, where are you going?"

"They didn't tell us there will be girls!" he answered over his shoulder, already moving towards the group of teenagers.

Tristan was leading the group with Ethan following behind him, his fingers intertwined with that of a girl Haymitch recognised from Peeta's bakery. There were three other teenagers with them.

"Haymitch, stop!" she grabbed the tail of his shirt. "They told me. They told _me_."

"You let them go? Effie, they're all teenagers and you know what teenagers are up – "

"I'd like to think we raise our children right - "

"You're the one fretting 'bout them acting out all the damn time," he pointed out.

" - so my boys will know not to get in trouble and to always respect girls."

"Alright, I know we thought them well but at this age, kissing can lead to somethin' more. They'd want to experiment. I speak from experience, sweetheart."

"Oh?" Effie raised an eyebrow, battling between wanting to know and respecting his privacy.

"See that shed over there?" he pointed without her prompting. "I kissed a girl there once and felt her up because... Well, I was curious, never touched a girl's breast before until that day."

"I really do not want to know, Haymitch," Effie pursed her lips, trying to rid herself off the image of her husband touching someone else other than her.

"I'm just sayin'. You're awfully calm. Shouldn't _you_ be the one in a fuckin' state instead of me?"

"Language, Haymitch! Perhaps, it's because as a teenager _you_ were always up to no good so you have this worry that the boys might be, too. I was a very obedient and discipline teenager."

"You mean you were boring?" he snorted.

"Oh, sit down," Effie snapped.

Effie tried to engage him in talks and distract him but his eyes kept darting to the group of friends. He watched Tristan and Ethan set up the fireworks, and when they were done, they stepped back to admire it.

"You're not worry they're going to lose and arm over that explosion?" Haymitch asked.

"A little but Johanna and Finn did the same fireworks during Felix's birthday last year in Four. It turned out fine. Besides, did you really think I will let our children do something without me first talking to Beetee? He walked me through the procedure and he assured me there were more dangerous pyrotechnics out there which I made him swore never to teach the boys or Ari."

"I should have known. Nothing escapes you, yeah?" he laughed, kissing her temple. "Ethan's got his arm around that girl."

"Stop spying on them!" Effie exclaimed in amusement.

She decided right there and then not to tell him how much Ethan liked that girl and that _she_ had been dropping hints on him on how to win a girl's heart.

"It's nearly time…"

"Time for what?"

"It's one minute to midnight, Haymitch. They're starting the – oh! It's started," Effie got to her feet enthusiastically. "Ten! Nine…. Eight - Haymitch, get up and count with me! Six…"

"You think he's gonna kiss the girl? If he's my boy he'd go for it."

Now that he was finally standing, Effie stood in front of him, her back against his chest. She tugged on his hands until they wound around her. He splayed his hands on her stomach, holding her close to him.

"From the way you've been acting, I didn't think you would want Ethan to kiss her," she hummed. "Four! Three!"

Over in the distance, Tristan had lighted up a match. The rest of the group moved back, standing a safe distance away.

"Yeah, but he's lookin' into her eyes and we all know what's going to happen next... He should be working on those fireworks he spent days makin'. Sweetheart, look!" he raised his head, the pressure from where he had rested his chin on her shoulder lifted. "I better go over and - "

"One!"

Effie turned around in his arms and maneuvered him so his back was facing the twins and she kissed him just as someone gave a triumphant cry of 'Happy New Year!".

Haymitch forgot about Ethan and his girl. He had his own in his arms, kissing him and running her tongue over his lips. He pressed her closer and returned the kiss. He could distinctly hear Tristan's overjoy cry as his fireworks went off, streaking through the night sky to join the massive fireworks display that Twelve and the rest of the districts had every year.

"Happy New Year, Haymitch," she grinned, breaking off the kiss for much needed air.

"You too, sweetheart."

"I love you," she pressed another chaste kiss. "And because I love you, I will tell you to just look at me and not behind you."

"Now I got to look," he frowned and turned his head before Effie could stop him.

He saw Ethan in a lip lock with the girl, his arms holding on to her in an awkward fashion that was evident by his age. He kissed the girl slowly, almost shy and uncertain before he grew bolder. Haymitch shifted but Effie held on to him.

"That boy's got no skill. If he eats her face, I'm walkin' over to save him from the embarrassment."

Haymitch had no idea what was so amusing but it made Effie laughed, clinging to him to keep herself upright.

"Ethan will learn. If he's anything like you, he will be a good kisser."

"So I'm a good kisser now?" he tilted his head. "What else?"

"You've always been," she huffed. "And don't try to fish for compliments!"

"You're the one who bruised my ego earlier," he said but the subject was forgotten when he raised his hand to wave at Tristan who had spotted them.

Effie pointed at Ethan, still kissing the girl and very much oblivious to everything around him. Tristan tapped his brother's shoulder while grinning maniacally. Ethan glanced up and followed the direction of Tristan's gaze to see both his parents. Under the blazing fireworks, Haymitch saw his son turned a bright shade of red. He grabbed the girl's hand and disappeared from view.

"Young love," Effie sighed.

Haymitch snorted. "Love?"

"Not like ours," she smiled up at him and he dipped his head to kiss her because he couldn't help himself. "It's still adorable watching them. Teenage crushes always leave you feeling dizzy," she told him as she wrapped an arm around his waist. "I'm so very happy that we get to see them grow up, acting like normal teenagers – to see Ethan get his first kiss at midnight."

He never had the chance to be a normal kid or act like a normal teenager and no words could accurately describe the way he felt knowing _his_ children had that chance.

"Yeah, me too," he squeezed her shoulder gently. "We're gonna have plenty more New Years to spy on them."

Effie's laugh filled his ears and he smirked. They walked back home hand in hand; their fingers linked together and her footsteps matching his.

"We must be growing old," she shook her head. "Don't we have anything better to do than be a constant source of embarrassment to our children? You are always embarrassing the Ari and Ethan at their school. They complain to me about it, you know."

"We _are_ growing old. How many New Years have we spent together, sweetheart?"

"If we count the years from when you married me the second time – nine years."

"Nine years," he mused.

"Longer still if I were to count from when we first know each other," Effie pointed out. "I don't want to count that. It makes me feel very old. I don't want to feel that way."

"What's wrong with being old with me?"

"You're growing to be an oddly sentimental man as the years pass, Haymitch Abernathy," she patted his chest fondly.

* * *

_I didn't plan for this one-shot, it came to me and I had to write it down. I hope you've enjoyed it! Let me know :)_


	10. Mama's Boy

_**Requested by AddisonandDerek: I would love to read a scene between Effie and Tristan, maybe they are feeding the geese when Ethan and Haymitch are sick one day? They can be doing anything really. It's just most of the scenes you write with Ethan and Tristan are with Haymitch, so I would love to read something with just Effie.**_

* * *

**Mama's Boy**

Ethan who often slept spread eagle on his bed was curled against his father's side, the covers pulled up to his chin. Haymitch was under the covers too, still looking slightly pale and exhausted but he was awake and he was watching her.

His fingers curled around her wrist, tugging her to his side. "You'll be okay?" he rasped. "If you need me – "

"I can look after Tristan and Ari just fine. I need you and Ethan to get better."

"Okay," Haymitch let out a shaky breath. "Ethan will be okay – I got him," he assured her.

When Tristan turned the knob and peered inside the room a few minutes later, Haymitch was already fast asleep, one hand slung over Ethan's body to shield him from the cold. Tristan closed the door quietly and went downstairs.

"They're sleeping," he pouted. "All they do is sleep!"

"They're sick, darling, they need a lot of rest. Now, you remember what I told you this morning? We need to feed the geese."

"But I don't like geese, Mama," Tristan protested.

He stood by the kitchen door, refusing to follow Effie out of the house. Tristan held on tightly to Ari's hand.

"They're in the pen. They won't hurt you," Effie tried to pacify him but she didn't sound so convinced. "The geese have to be fed otherwise, they'll die and when Ethan gets better to see his geese dead, he'll be very sad. We don't want to make Ethan and Dada sad now, do we?"

Tristan seemed to consider this logic for a moment. "You promise they won't bite me? Dasher looks really mean!" he eyed the goose sceptically. It was well-known that Tristan hated the noises they make.

"They won't."

Slowly, he stepped outside, taking one careful step at a time. Ari followed closely behind him, clutching on to the tiger soft toy that once belonged to Ethan. Effie smiled at them and gave Tristan small encouragements.

"Just like this," Effie demonstrated by grabbing a fistful of dried bread crumbs and throwing it into their pen. "That's how Ethan and your father does it."

Ari who had followed Ethan and Haymitch around on a few occasions was much bolder when it came to feeding the geese. Effie gave her a piece of bread and she held out her hand for Dasher to come forward. The goose snatched it from her, tore it to pieces and gobbled it up.

Tristan glanced over at Ari. "Be careful," he whispered.

With the geese fed, they moved on to the next chore on the list..

"What's next?" Tristan asked.

"Cleaning the living room which means – "

"Putting away our toys!" Tristan beamed.

Doing the household chore was much easier without Haymitch and Ethan around if Effie was being completely honest with herself. She always made sure everyone contribute something in making sure the house remained clean and spotless but Haymitch and Ethan were easily distracted. When it came to putting away their toys, Ethan could often be found sitting cross-legged on the floor playing with the toys he was supposed to put away.

"I see Dada now?" Ari tugged on her blouse.

"In a while, sweetheart. When we're done, we'll go up to see them, okay? Let them rest for now."

There were plenty of miniature hovercrafts and airplanes lying around that belonged to all three children. Ari had a habit of playing with whatever her brothers were playing. She loved her dolls as much as she loved those airplanes.

"Put those here, Tristan," Effie pointed towards a box. "Those need to be cleaned and disinfected."

"Why?"

"So none of you will get sick."

"But Ethan and Dada are sick."

"Well, yes, that's unfortunate, really. They really should watch what they eat, don't they, darling?"

Tristan nodded enthusiastically. Haymitch had taken Ethan to the town's market two days ago and when they returned that afternoon, they were both throwing up and shivering. At first, Tristan didn't mind his brother being sick. It meant he had a lot more time to spend with Ari and Mama but he was growing bored very quickly. He wanted his father too but at the risk of Ethan and Haymitch passing whatever they had on everyone else, Effie was careful to limit their interactions.

"I wish Ethan will get better already," Tristan said out of the blue during lunch as he munched on his sandwich with his eyes downcast.

"It's quiet, isn't it?"

He gave a nod. "I want to play with him."

"I know, baby," she brushed his hair back. "I miss having them around, too."

While Haymitch and Ethan recuperate, Effie had tried to occupy her two children with various activities. She had brought them out for the groceries, taught Tristan how to brush Ari's hair, watched three different movies together, and took Tristan cycling around Victor's Village.

Still, for Tristan, it wasn't the same without his twin brother.

"You'll get to tell your father and Ethan how you fed their geese. They'll be very proud of you, I'm sure!" she tried to cheer him up.

Tristan looked up, brows crinkling. "You think so?"

"I know so. _I'm_ very proud of you. You've been such a wonderful boy – helping me around the house and keeping me company so I won't be lonely without your father."

"You're lonely 'cause you can't sleep with Dada 'cause he's sick? Is that why you made Ari and I sleep with you? And Ethan sleeps with Dada so they won't be lonely, too."

"That's partially true," Effie concurred, "but I still meant what I said, I'm proud of my baby boy."

"I'm the oldest and the biggest, mama, I'm no baby," he shook his head knowing deep inside that no matter how many times he said it, his mother would still call him a baby. "Ari's a baby."

* * *

_They are about 7 years old in this one-shot_


	11. A Play

_Based on a writing prompt on tumblr: _Can you please do #39 and #42 together? With haymitch doing something cute and idiotic with the twins and effie being all strict but secretly is happy about it. :) i like reading him in light and almost funny fics. haha thank you.

_39\. "You're an idiot. I've met smarter sandwiches." 42. "I don't know if I should kiss you or slap you."_

* * *

**A Play**

Tristan sulked all the way home from school.

Haymitch had to bite down on his lower lip and exercise self-control because the sight was just ridiculous. Tristan moped a lot especially when he was unhappy and it was something Haymitch was used to but to sulk while he was in his humongous sandwich costume was something else together.

The boy waddled ahead of his family, waddled because the costume prevented him from marching straight home.

"You shouldn't have done that, Ethan," Effie sighed, playing the role of a mediator again.

"All I did was cheered him on," the eleven year old boy said defensively. "You said I gotta be there for him so I did."

"With pom-poms and cardboard signs," Effie pointed out. "You made a spectacle and you embarrassed him. You know how much this play meant to him."

"Mama, he's a _sandwich_," Ethan gestured like that should explain everything. "He's a sandwich in a play about a boy who imagines a talking sandwich. He's a _sandwich_, look at him."

Haymitch's shoulder started to shake in silent laughter.

"Stop saying sandwich," Effie snapped at her son and she threw Haymitch a look. "And you, stop laughing at your son! You should be supportive of him."

"I am supportive of him. I turned up for the play, didn't I? I paid for the costume. Hell, sweetheart, I stayed up at night with him when he was practising his lines for weeks. He practiced it on _me_, not you. I'm supportive, oh, trust me, sweetheart, I am all about him wantin' to be in the play but Ethan's got a point, the boy is a sandwich."

"**I don't know if I should slap you or kiss you** so that you'll stop talking because I don't want Tristan to hear what you just said!"

"Nah, he didn't hear it. They're too busy snapping at each other to hear what we've got to say," Haymitch nodded at his boys.

Ethan had caught up with his brother and was walking next to him. Tristan kept shooting him angry glances and whatever it was, it cannot be good. They were arguing, that much was clear and Haymitch was about to call them out on it when he heard Ethan tossed an insult at his brother.

"Whatever.** You're an idiot, I've met smarter sandwiches**."

Haymitch arched an eyebrow, wondering what the conversation was about.

"Your logic is flawed," Tristan retorted. "Sandwiches can't think so they can't be smart."

"Yeah, exactly like you. How in character," Ethan drawled and dashed away inside the house when Tristan jerked to grab him.

Ethan's haughty laugh could be heard when he turned in the hallway to see Tristan stuck on the doorway, his costume too big to let him pass through.


	12. Effie's Special Day

**Effie's Special Day**

Throughout her life, Effie had received a great many presents from an array of different people; her parents, her grandmother, her cousins, her admirers, her lovers and her friends. There were always presents for her birthdays, anniversaries or simply just.

She used to love all the fuss. She loved the attention. She loved being showered with gifts and being loved.

Her outlook on life now was a little different. Now, she looked for meanings behind the gifts, not that she received many but they were far more important to her.

For someone who hardly ever gifted her with anything, the best present she received was from Haymitch. He gave her the twins, and when he agreed to her adoption, he gave her Ari. Of course, there were also the jewelry box he bought with her name engraved on it and a simple necklace for their ten years anniversary. That was the thing with Haymitch, she mused to herself. He seldom made it a practice that when he did buy her a gift, it was novel and momentous.

Some of the best presents she received came from her children. She had been thrust into this maternal role for fifteen years now. Ever since the boys started school at the age of seven and learnt about occasions such as Mother's Day, she had been celebrating it. This meant that she had been collecting nine years' worth of presents from the boys and their little sister. Nine years of gifts from three children. The gifts grew and changed as the children matured.

It started out with drawings; stick figures of their family from Ethan, the sun with a smiley face shining down on her with a halo over her head from Tristan and a drawing of the beach where she and Haymitch had first told Ari that they would take her home. There were poems from Tristan, sculpted vases, flowers and handmade necklaces. There was a musical box, breakfast surprises in bed and when they were old enough, a lunch meal prepared by the children. There were beautiful candles and shawls and clothes.

She would always look forward to all the little handwritten Mother's Day cards in their sloppy handwriting, and adorable messages. She read it all in their little voices and she smiled at all the misspelled words. Sometimes, when she read it, she could hear a bit of Haymitch in the messages which meant he had helped them craft the message.

Effie kept it all; gifts, poems and cards. She displayed their drawings proudly and put up the cards on a shelf in the kitchen where she would read each morning as she get them ready to start their day.

If Effie found Mother's Day to be enjoyable, Haymitch's stress level increased exponentially. The children made him swear to keep their plans a secret, they made him help them with gift hunting and they made him help to create their gifts. He was made to wake up early so he could supervise them as they prepare "_mama's favourite breakfast_" which changed year after year, and she was beginning to wonder if her children actually knew what her favourite breakfast even was but she appreciate the thoughts and the efforts all the same.

When Ari was too young to have the money to buy gifts or too young to be able to make a gift of her own, Haymitch helped her along.

"I want mama to look pretty," she declared.

And so Haymitch went to town and bought beads. He sat down with the girl one afternoon and helped her arrange the beads into a necklace, an activity he never ever imagined he would ever partake in.

When Tristan was ten, he was the one who helped the boy with the designs for his vase sculpture while Peeta helped to paint. Haymitch brought Ethan to the meadow to pick flowers only for the boy to change his mind and declared he wanted wild flowers instead so Katniss had to take him to the woods. But when he returned with the flowers in hand, it was Haymitch who helped him arrange the flowers in the vase his brother made, and it was Haymitch who set the necklace and vase of flowers at an appropriate place for Effie to find.

She knew all this because at the end of the day, she always made him tell her what he had to do that year to help his children.

"When did the planning start?" she asked with a smile as she snuggled up to him on their bed.

"Three days ago. Had to break up a fight between the boys. They couldn't decide who'd do the vase and who'd pick the flowers," he rolled his eyes.

Effie laughed. "I'm really surprise about the necklace you and Ari made. How you managed to keep it from me…."

"The shed," he mumbled, his eyelids growing heavier by the minute. "We did it in the shed, away from the house."

Effie ran her fingers though his hair and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for making me a mother," she whispered.

She no longer cared about pearl necklace or expensive clothes. None of those would ever be comparable to the thoughts and the love that went into the gifts her children gave her. They might have little monetary value but they were meaningful to her, and Haymitch's effort to make sure that she would have a good Mother's Day celebration year after year by quietly helping his children meant a lot to her.

Being a mother changed her life and that was bond that could never be broken. No matter what happened she would be their mother now and forever. Tristan, Ethan and Ari would always be hers.

* * *

_because today is mother's day :) _


	13. Welcome Home

_This snippet follows not long after chapter 34 of Divortium._

* * *

**Welcome Home**

It was safe to say that for three months the Abernathy household was in quite a state. Effie and Haymitch sat both boys down and explained to them about Ari which left them awake at night giddy with various thoughts of what having a sister truly mean.

"She can't have Dasher. Dasher's mine," Ethan announced one night as Haymitch sat on the sofa next to their bed, waiting for them to fall asleep. "I gotta pick a goose for her. It's gotta be a baby like her. A girl goose."

"Gosling," Haymitch corrected. "A baby goose is a gosling."

"What's a baby me called?" Tristan asked.

"An infant," Effie poked her head into their room. "Now go to sleep."

The adoption papers were filed and processed, and their house went through rounds of inspections both surprised and scheduled. Ari's biological mother willingly signed the adoption papers and transferred legal rights to Haymitch and Effie. According to Annie, the young woman had visited Ari, kissed her cheeks, told her she was sorry and hoped that her decision would give Ari a better life than the one she could provide. There was no flicker of recognition in Ari's eyes that her mother was saying goodbye and she had stuck by Annie throughout it all.

When the adoption papers were finalised, Haymitch went to District Four. Effie remained in Twelve with the boys to prepare of her arrival.

Naturally, both Ethan and Tristan were excited but the same could not be said for Effie.

She was nervous and anxious. Everything had to be perfect for Ari. Effie wanted her to feel at home and to fit in which as Haymitch rightly pointed out, was asking for too much. Throughout the process, he was the voice of reason and he kept her grounded, reminding Effie again and again that even though Ari knew them, she would still need time to adjust. He explained the same to the boys and told them not to overwhelm her.

"I get it that you want to get her to play with you and watch TV with you but she might not want to, alright? She ain't used to stayin' here in this house so you need to be patient," he said. "You can do that, yeah?"

Effie spent a lot of time talking about District Twelve and the boys with Ari on the phone before Haymitch brought her home in preparation.

"There's no ocean here in Twelve but there's a big meadow," Effie said. "Aunt Jo brought you to the meadow when you were here but you were little and you didn't stay here for long so, it is okay if you don't remember."

"Birds," she mumbled over the receiver.

It took Effie a while to understand that she was referring to Haymitch's geese. That was something, she concluded. She told Ari about her room; a room that Tristan and Ethan had a hand in decorating.

"Mama! They're here," Ethan pointed out of the window as he stood on the sofa to get a better look.

Effie dropped the towel and abandoned cleaning the dishes to rush towards him just to do the same. It was definitely Haymitch walking towards the Village, carrying Ari in his arm and their bags in another.

"You're right," Effie laid a hand on Ethan's back. "That's them."

"Come on, Tristan, let's go," Ethan urged his brother as they scrambled down from the sofa.

"Ah, no, darlings. Let's wait for them to come inside. Remember, don't be too loud, yes?"

With a nod, Tristan settled back on the sofa, waiting with his hands resting on his knees. Ethan, on his part, tried but with all the excitement, he kept fidgeting.

When the door opened and Haymitch stepped in, Effie resisted the urge to rush over to them. It was only when Haymitch was standing in front of them that Effie addressed the little girl.

"Hello, Ari," she spoke softly. "How are you?"

If Effie expected her to be shy and hesitant, she was wrong. Ari leaned forward and raised her hand to touch Effie's cheek.

"Mama," she said and flashed a crooked smile.

All those times they spent in District Four during their vacation had made them a familiar face to Ari and brought them closer, and Effie was glad for it.

"I got her," Effie said, taking her from Haymitch. "Did you have a good trip, Ari? Did you like taking the train?"

Ari nodded and patted Effie's hair. She was sure the girl would have more to say but her ability to communicate was hindered by her limited vocabulary and just like she did with the boys, Effie couldn't wait to teach Ari everything.

"Come here," Haymitch beckoned and that was all Tristan and Ethan needed before they jumped off the sofa and ran towards Haymitch. "Miss me?"

"A lot!" Ethan gushed, wrapping his arms around his father's neck.

"What 'bout you, peanut?"

"Miss you too," Tristan said. "Like mama. She told me."

"Did she?" Haymitch asked, glancing over at Effie.

"Of course, I miss you. I always do whenever you're away."

She tilted her chin up so he could give her a peck and she leaned into him when he brought his arm around her. Ari had already wriggled down and was standing close. Effie waited to see what she would do.

Ari eyed both boys, fiddling with her fingers until Tristan held out his hand. She took it and after that, it was like they never separated.

"Dada said you're gon' be our little sister."

Ari tilted her head only to nod enthusiastically even if Effie doubted she truly understood what it all meant.

"You're staying here with us forever!" Ethan chimed in, flanking her other side. "We got a room for you! It's all red. Do you know the colour red?"

Ari shook her head.

"It's okay," Ethan patted the top of her head. "You wanna play? I'll show you my toys."

Effie made a move to follow the three children but Haymitch held her back.

"Let them," he said, running his thumb on her inner wrist.

"But - "

"Leave them be," he insisted. "She's mixin' around with them and that's good. Don't hover. We're supposed to make it as normal for her and playing with her ... brothers," he tested the word, "is normal."

Knowing he was right, she stayed. She turned to face him, her fingers tracing the stubble on his cheek.

"How's Annie and Finn?"

"They're alright. They might visit with Jo when Ari's settled."

Effie hummed, bringing her arms around Haymitch's waist. She was contented to let him hold her and Haymitch was happy to oblige until they heard a toy clattered noisily to the floor followed by Ethan's loud laughter. Again, Effie stepped away to check except Haymitch was quick to pull her towards him, kissing her lazily and trying to distract her.

"Relax," he murmured. "They're fine. Quit worrying."

"It's my job to worry."

Haymitch chuckled against the skin of her throat, his warm breath causing goose pimples to erupt.

"Haven't seen you in a week and you haven't even got time for me. Not very nice."

"We will have time later," she tried to push him off. "Tonight, I promise."

"Yeah?" he tilted his head back to get a good look at her.

"Yes. I really should check on our daughter and make - " she stopped. "It feels... Our _daughter_."

Haymitch raised an eyebrow. "Odd?"

"Ari's our daughter," she whispered. "She's home. This is real."

"Yeah. Five of us... Like your dreams."

She nodded and cupped his cheeks, planting a firm grateful kiss on his lips.

"You always try to make me happy and I - " she sighed contentedly. "I love you, Haymitch."


	14. Date Night

_Apparently, I have this written half way since December last year and then i completely forgot about it until yesterday! I hope you enjoy this :)_

* * *

**Date Night**

"How about this?"

Haymitch glanced briefly over his shoulder to take a look at the dress before going back to rummaging through the drawer.

"The blue's better."

"This? It's so dark it looks almost black," Effie commented picking the said blue dress from her wardrobe. "Maybe I should ask the boys for their opinion."

"Found it. What do you think of this? I think we haven't watched it for a while now," he pulled out the thin packaging.

Her eyes flicked to him in the mirror's reflection, shaking her head affectionately at him.

"Ari's not eight anymore, Haymitch. I don't think she wants to watch Little Mermaid. What was it that you watch with her last month?"

"Aren't you the one who told me that no one is going to be too old to watch this. _You_ watched it with her."

"Ari has no problem watching it with me. She has a problem watching it with you. You kept making fun of Ariel."

"She's a half-fish that talks," he countered.

"See," she glared at her pointedly.

"Fine," Haymitch concurred. "I'll think of somethin'. Wear the blue one. I like you in the blue dress."

"_You_ like it but you're not the one taking me out on a date tonight," she grinned.

Still, Effie changed into the blue dress and when Haymitch saw her, he smirked. He ran a finger over the length of the zipper running down her sides.

"I'd ask you to wear the red dress but it's got no back and if I ain't gonna be there then I don't want anyone else starin' at you. This one's alright."

It made her laugh, tipping slightly on her toes. Effie rested her hands on his chest to keep her balance.

"The red is not a truly appropriate dress to be worn here in Twelve."

"True," he agreed. "Come on."

She slipped her arm into the crook of Haymitch's elbow, and her smile was so radiant it made him wish it was him she was spending the next few hours with. He led her down where the twins were waiting at the foot of the stairs.

In their button down shirts and freshly pressed pants, they look dashing. Ethan was wearing clean shoes, one that was not coated in mud and dirt. At the last step, Haymitch handed her over to Tristan.

"You look beautiful, mama," Ethan grinned.

"Ethan's right. You are," Ari nodded from where she was lounging on the sofa, watching her brothers with Effie. "I picked out the boys' shirts. That's why they look awesome."

Tristan waved her off, said goodbye to Haymitch and his sister and began to lead Effie out of the door.

"Bring her home by eleven," Haymitch called out, "and no later."

"Yes, sir," Ethan bowed mockingly as he exchanged a grin with Tristan.

XxX

Effie truly loved the monthly practice that they have, something she look forward to each time.

The boys made it their habit to take her out every month. They would take her to the meadow or dinner at Sae's restaurant or to just spend time with her. They opened doors, pulled out chairs for her and Ethan would often have flowers ready; all the things Haymitch hardly ever did for her.

They treated her like a queen and she was exceptionally proud that her children knew how to behave the way a gentleman would. One day, some girls would be lucky to have them, she thought.

As the boys and Ari grew and now well in their teenage years, they were involved in numerous activities in school and with their own social life they were not home as often as they used to be. Of course, they still spend time as a family during weekends but Effie often wished for more time to be with children.

But for a few hours every month, her boys were completely hers; no other commitments to school or friends. She had no obligations to share them with Haymitch either, just as Haymitch did not have to share Ari with her. On another day, they would switch with Haymitch spending hours with his sons and she would get to spend time with Ari.

"That should be it. We'll order desserts later or you know, surprise us," Ethan winked at the girl working in Sae's restaurant as he handed the menu back to her who despite the smile, rolled her eyes at Ethan's antics.

"I'll have something _special_ for you," she said.

"You do that, sweetheart," Ethan grinned even though she had served his dessert with tobasco sauce as a joke the last time.

"Thank you," Effie smiled kindly at her before she went to the kitchen with their orders. "Any news yet on the competition, Tristan?"

"Not yet. I – I don't know if I'll make it through the next round. It's a nationwide competition so, you know," he rubbed the back of his neck in a gesture that was reminiscent of his father when Haymitch was nervous or uncomfortable, "it's tough."

"I've read the poems and prose you wrote," Ethan rolled his eyes. "They're good. I even made Lia read some of yours," he gestured at the waiter, "and she was blown away. You're gonna get through."

"What?" Tristan sputtered. "Why did you let...Is that why she's been looking at me all funny?"

"I think she's impressed," Ethan shrugged.

"Well, she should be," Effie said. "You're great, darling. You know you are. Even if you don't get through, the important thing is you tried. We will _always _support you. We're a family and that's what we do."

"I know," Tristan nodded. "Thanks. So, what's up with you and dad?"

"What do you mean?"

Ethan leaned forward, resting his folded his hands on the table. "You tell us, mama. We overheard you both talkin' about going away. What's this? Conspiring to leave your kids behind?"

"Don't be silly," Effie laughed.

She had a hand on the base of her throat and Ethan narrowed his eyes at that knowing that she was uncomfortable about something.

"Felix invited us to District Seven," she continued. "He recently expanded his resort in Seven, do you remember?"

"Yeah. He told us," Tristan said. "You should go. I think it's fun."

"Wait – He didn't invite _us?_ We're his nephews," Ethan exclaimed, "and Ari's his niece. I'm hurt."

"I supposed he didn't tell you about one little detail then," Effie shifted in her seat. "This resort is not meant for children. It's for, well, it's for - "

Ethan wrinkled his nose. "It's fine. I think get it. I don't wanna think about it."

"Couples only? Lovers?" Tristan laughed. "You ought to go, you and dad. You deserve some time alone together."

He exchanged a look with his brother and Ethan's eyes twinkled.

"Yeah, mama, you should. I think it's a good idea."

"Leave the three of you unsupervised? I think not."

XxX

"I've watched Little Mermaid a billion times," Ari told him.

"Yeah, but I thought you love this movie."

"I love watching it with mum. You, on the other hand, you're exasperating. Sorry, can we watch something else?"

"Fine," Haymitch tossed it aside. "Choose somethin' then and you know the rules, there should be no makin' out or any of that nonsense."

Ari shot him an amused look.

"It's not like I've never seen someone making out before," she teased. "You and mama do it all the time."

"It's different."

"How so?"

"We're married," he deadpanned.

"So… I can't kiss any boys? Or make out with them?" she asked casually as she began selecting a movie to watch.

Haymitch narrowed his eyes at her. She bit the inside of her lips to stop herself from laughing.

"Why? Did you kiss any boys? Who is it? You're thirteen. You shouldn't be – I told your brothers to keep their eyes on you," Haymitch ranted. "It's the boy workin' at Peeta's bakery, ain't it?"

"Relax, dad. Let's watch Zombieland."

"Relax?! Did you kiss a boy? Your mother know 'bout this?"

"I didn't! You'll ground me right?" she asked. "Out of curiousity, when will I be allowed to –"

"When you're married."

"We'll see," she grinned. "Can we watch Zombieland now?"

"You know zombies don't exist, yeah?"

"Neither does mermaids," she shot back.

Haymitch raised both hands up. "I ain't the one _obsessed_ with mermaids growing up."

Ari giggled. She fixed the movie and went to the kitchen to get their snacks before curling next to Haymitch. If Ari knew her father well, which she liked to think she did, she knew Haymitch would fall asleep before it ends and true enough, he was asleep before the third act.

She watched alone until the movie ended and was about to turn the television off when she saw the packaging Effie had shoved at the end of the rack, thinking it was out of view. Ari pulled it out and recognized it as something Aunt Jo had given her mother.

_Fifty Shades of Grey._

She didn't know what it was about but it was definitely something her mother did not want her or the boys to watch.

_She should have done a better job hiding it. It's not my fault then,_ Ari justified as she put it on.

She was half an hour into it before she decided it was definitely something that would get her in trouble…. Or her father. Knowing full well that Tristan and Ethan would be home with their mother soon, Ari left the movie on, and with a grin on her face, she went up to her room.

It was only a while later when she heard the door opening that she went back down and sat on the sofa as if she had not moved at all. Tristan walked in first and stopped short, his eyes darting from the screen to Ari.

The shrill scream made Ari cover her mouth to stop the giggles. Haymitch startled awake at the sound of Effie's voice.

"What happened?!" he glanced around wildly.

"What are you watching?" Effie demanded the pair of them before she rounded on Haymitch, clearly intending to put the blame fully on him. "Haymitch."

It took him a while to understand what was on the television screen and he glared at Ari. "Did you watch that while I was asleep?"

Ari shrugged and caved in at the look her father gave her. "No, I thought it'll be funny if you wake up to _that_."

"Okay, sweetheart, I swear we were watching something 'bout zombies. I didn't – Why would I let her watch that trash?" Haymitch defended himself against Effie. "I was all up for Little Mermaid, alright. You know that. You know _that. _Look, Effs, you shouldn't have that shit in the house in the first place."

"Johanna sent it to me and I just forgot to throw it away. Also, mind your language."

"Forgot? That's a convenient excuse," Haymitch argued.

"You shouldn't let our daughter watch something that is not suitable for – "

"_I_ didn't put it on!" Haymitch insisted. He turned towards Ari. "You're in a lot of trouble. Go to your room."

Ari turned towards her brothers, a smug smile on her lips.

Tristan shook his head and as they climbed up the stairs towards their room, he said, "Stop pitting them against each other."

"They're hilarious when they're arguing."

"Good job, monkey," Ethan slapped her shoulder and gave her a high five. "He'll probably gonna take away some of your privileges now."

"It's alright. I've got a plan. I'll drive dad mad enough he probably wants me out of the house for a few hours so he can have peace."

"You're a devil," Tristan sighed.

* * *

_In this one-shot, the twins are about sixteen and Ari's thirteen. I have a cousin who will take his mother out for dinner/movie, just the two of them every month and I thought it was sweet so that was my inspiration._


End file.
